Pitchfork cleaner



Oct. 14; 1924.

A. WALLIN PITCHFORK CLEANER Filed April 15, 1922 Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES ARTHUR WALLIN, OF ENDEBLIN, NORTH DAKOTA.

PITCHFORK CLEANER.

Application filed April 15, 1922. Serial No. 552,857.

Pitchfork Cleaners, of which the following.

is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in pitch forks, the primary design to provide an attachment for pitch forks wherein stalks and other substance sticking or clinging to the tines of the forks may be quickly and conveniently dislodged and projected therefrom, thus avoiding the necessity of removing the rubbish from the pitch fork or dislodging the clinging material by pressure of the foot or by rubbing the fork against the edge of a wagon box or other article.

Another object of the invention is toprovide an improved attachment for pitch forks having an operating mechanism whereby the tines at the front portion of a fork can be cleaned at any time desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaning attachment for forks, which is simple of construction, may be applied to forks already in use and of conventional type without altering the construction thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved cleaning attachment for pitch forks, which is durable, efficient for all purposes intended, and one that can be manufactured and placed on the market at a relatively low cost.

WVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in quite novel features of construction and in combination and arrangement of parts, more fully described hereinafter and specifically pointed out 1n the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention and form a part of this application.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the pitch fork, showing my improved attachment secured thereto.

Figure 2 is a plan view of my improved attachment secured to a fork.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the handle attachment and the tine cleaner partly broken away.

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings in detail, like numerals will be used to designate like parts in the several Vl6WS.'

In order to fully illustrate my invention and the operation of same, I have shown a pitch fork having the usual stock portion or handle 1 and having the shank of the fork 2 secured in the end of the handle 1 by any suitable or usual means. 3 indicates the tines or tongues of the fork 2.

A series of bars 4: having tne front loop portion 5 adapted to be freely slidable upon the tines or tongues of the fork. It is to be understood that there is to be a bar 4 provided for each tine or tongue contained in the fork 2.

Six indicates a tubular handle adapted to be slidable on the handle 1 of the fork. Secured to the tubular slidable handle is a connecting rod 7 The opposite end of the connecting rod or the end nearest the fork 2 is bifurcated as indicated by the numeral 8 adapted to provide means for the reception of a spindle 9. The innerend of the bars t are also looped, as indicated by the numeral 10 and are loosely held in the fork of the connecting rod 7 by the spindle 9.

Securely fastened to the handle 1 of the fork is a clamp 11. Said clamp is attached to the handle 1 at a point between the end of same and the sliding handle 6 and overlies the connecting rod 7 which provides a guide for same, thereby keeping the central bar of the fork cleaner and the connecting bar 7 in perfect alinement with the central tine or tongue of the fork 2, thus preventing the handle 6 and the connecting bar 7 from partly rotating on the handle and causing a frictional engagement of the loops 5 with the tines or tongues of the fork when same is operated thereon.

In operation the fork is used in the ordinary manner, hence should there be no necessity of cleaning the tines or tongues the device will assume the position indicated in Figure 1. Should any manure, corn stalk or the like adhere to the tines or tongues while the fork is being used, the handle 6 is pushed downwardly on the handle of the fork, causing the connecting rod 7 to slide thru the guideway 11 thus forcing the looped end of the bars 4 to slide over the tines of the fork, thus clearing them of any foreign substance that may have adhered thereto. After the tines have been cleaned the handle or sleeve 6 can be moved backwardly on the handle 1, which will draw the connecting rod back to its normal position,

thus moving the cleaning bars 3 back to the position indicated in Fig. 1, and the device will then be again ready for use.

I am aware of the fact that various slight changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts such as I have shown and described, without departing from the spirit and the scope of my invention, therefore, I do not wish to limit myself to the exact details of construction and arrangement set forth, but consider myself entitled to any slight changes that might fall Within the spirit and the scope thereof.

What I claim as new for my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is In a device of the class described, in combination with a pitchfork, an operating sleeve adapted for slidable movement on the handle of said pitchfork, a series of cleaning rods having their forward ends looped and engaging the tines of said pitchfork, the opposite ends of said cleaning rods being looped and tending to converge, an elongated rod connected at one end to said operating sleeve, the opposite end of said rod terminating in a substantially U-shaped supporting member, a pin extending across the outer ends of thearn'is of said U-shaped end of said rod and adapted to receive the looped converging ends of said cleaning rods whereby a pivotal connection between .said cleaningrods and said elongated rod is for-med, and guide means for said elongated rod mounted on said handle.

In testimony whereof I affi-X my signature ARTHUR VVALLIN, 

